Archangel
by klainchel95
Summary: Even the happiest person can have sad memories. Even the most good-looking person can have an ugly side. Even the most charming of men can be the scariest. - trigger warnings, abuse, non-con, derogatory language


Prologue

_Stop. Just stop shouting, _Blaine thinks to himself, pressing his tiny hands over his equally tiny ears._ Stop, please. _His ears were shielded but his eyes refused to close, staying trained on his parents yelling at each other in front of him. Mostly it was his father yelling, he couldn't see if his mom was or not because she always stood so close and in front of him, almost shielding him from his dad. His eyes squeeze shut when he sees the hand being raised. His ears fail him this time as he hears the sound of skin on skin. He knows by now that it's hurting his mama, because she'll always leave the room and cry, it's happened so many times.

She almost doesn't look like his mom anymore. She barely smiles, she's losing hair, and her eyes are always red from what Blaine knows is crying. He tries to stand and help, pulling at him moms dress when his dad shoves him forcefully aside to step closer to his mom. Blaine falls hard on his bottom, too old now to cry and play helpless, yet still young enough to not fully understand. He looks up at his mom, waiting to be told what to do.

She forces a smile, glancing quickly at his father. "Go to your room Blaine, mommy will be there soon okay?" Blaine didn't move.

"You heard your mother, _go!_" His father snapped, but his words sounded funny to Blaine.

"Darling, we shouldn't yell at him," His mom tried to reason, but once more Blaine saw his dad hit his mom. "Don't tell me what to do!" He shouted.

This time Blaine didn't need to be told. He ran straight for his room, locked the door and hid under his bed like the one night it had gotten this bad. Blaine closed his eyes and blocked his ears, muttering incoherent words to him to block everything out. Tears rolled down his face but he didn't bother wiping them away. He tried to be strong for his mom but sometimes he needed to cry as well.

11 Years later 

Charming. If there was one word that Rachel Berry could use to describe Blaine Anderson it would be charming. She was convinced anyone would choose that word, if they either knew him personally or just met him. He was one of those people who when you first meet you never forget because his personality, humor, and smile never seem to leave your mind no matter how hard you try.

Rachel tries to hold onto those things when she thinks of her boyfriend, but sometimes they are over shadowed by the rare, and scary, traits he has looming behind that charming skin of his. The first time it happened came as a shock, and Rachel was convinced that after she laid into him about how wrong it was that it would stop.

**beat**

Rachel's mouth ached when it fell open in shock and her hand rose to her burning cheek. Her eyes flickered for a moment to Blaine's, absolutely confused on what had just happened. His were filled with guilt. He tried to step forward, opening his mouth to say something when she stepped back away from him, creating a wide distance between them. "Don't," She managed to say, pain resonating through her teeth. "Don't touch me."

"Rachel I didn't mean it, I swear," Blaine said hurriedly. "I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did that. Please baby, I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry." Genuine anguish was in his eyes as he saw how much he had hurt her.

Rachel watched as he turned suddenly walking away and into their kitchen, coming back with an ice pack. He couldn't even look at her, and though she knew this was bad, Rachel didn't like this. When she took the ice pack, she let her hand linger on his just long enough so he would look up at her. "Thank you," She muttered, pressing the pack against her cheek. The cold felt extremely soothing against her inflamed skin.

"Rachel-" Blaine tried to speak again but she cut him off. "Don't Blaine. I understand, you're sorry, but this can never happen again, do you understand me?" Her eyes turned hard, surprisingly dry because she didn't shed any tears. "I need to know that you understand, if this happens again Blaine. I'm not going to stay."

"It won't," Blaine said, reaching over and holding onto her shoulders gently. "Baby I won't ever touch you like that again." He pressed his forehead gently against hers, stroking the cheek that he didn't hit, as he looked into her eyes. "I'm so happy you're strong, that you won't leave me this time, I'm so happy." His eyes dropped down to her lips, "Rachel? Can I kiss you…"

Rachel looked back at him and smiled slightly, thinking about how the first time he kissed her he had asked the same thing. "Took you long enough," She replied, using the same words she had the first time, except Blaine leaned in instead of her, but it was still soft and sweet. He pulled back shortly, not wanting to press her, and whispered, "I love you," into the small space lingering between their mouths.

"I love you too," Rachel sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. She embraced the feeling of him standing over her. Of his forehead against hers and his hands on her body. It didn't scare her; it felt normal, like any other time Blaine would do this. Maybe that's why Rachel was able to let it slide this one time. She was strong, and she would stay strong.

**beat**

Months passed after the incident and Rachel almost forgot about it. Blaine pretended like it never happened, though sometimes Rachel couldn't stop herself from flinching whenever he went to touch her face. She'd gotten over it by now, but it was still there in the back of her mind haunting her. She told herself Blaine was the nicest, most caring boy she had ever met and loved. He took care of her and loved her almost more than she did him. Rachel told herself this over and over again and every so often Blaine would go out of his way to prove it by buying her gifts and surprising her. Everything went back to normal so quickly, it's as if it really didn't happen.

One day, after the incident, Rachel was getting out of the shower, quickly drying her hair with her towel as she hurried to get dressed. "Going somewhere angel?" She hears Blaine say, and she only takes a second to glance at him with a smile. "Hey babe," Rachel darted across the room, grabbing a pair of jeans off the chair that Blaine stood behind. "Sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush. I've got rehearsal in about an hour."

"The theater isn't very far, why are you hurrying?"

"I told Tyler I would meet him for coffee before hand to help him with lines. He's a bit nervous; I think he might be intimidated of playing opposite of me." Rachel laughed, but when she looked back at Blaine, her laughter faltered. "What's the matter?" She asked, noticing his frown and how his eyes were slightly narrowed.

"Why should he be nervous?" Blaine asked, his voice laced with edge. "He gets to kiss you, exactly how many times, on stage?"

"Um, I'm not sure…" Rachel said, pulling her sweater over her head. "I didn't count. Why?"

"I don't want you going Rachel."

"What!" Rachel exclaimed, turning to him. His facial expression didn't change, he remained indifferent. "You heard me. I don't want you going,"

"Blaine you know how much this musical means to me, it's my absolute _dream_ role and my big break."

"You've played Maria before remember? I was your Tony,"

"Of course I remember Blaine, but this is Broadway. I can't just ditch, it's only the third rehearsal. I have to be there, and if I don't leave now, Tyler is going to think I stood him up and I can't do that to him."

"What if I want you to stay home," Blaine said suddenly, "Would you still go? You would choose that little faggot over me?"

Rachel's jaw dropped. She had never, ever, heard Blaine use that word before. "What are you talking about? Blaine, I'm helping out a friend, that's it. Yes, he is gay, but that gives you no right to use that word!" Rachel crossed her arms in front of her, glaring at the boy standing a few feet away from her. "You know how much I dislike it, especially what happened all those years ago with Kurt. _You_ should never use such a word; he's your friend too. He's gay would you call him that?" She didn't want for an answer. "I didn't think so. Not that it would matter, if Tyler is gay, he's acting Blaine. The kisses are only acting and it doesn't mean anything to either of us. Not to him because he likes boys and not to me because I like you." Blaine's tense stature softened slightly, but it took Rachel reaching out and stroking his arm gently to get him to unclench his fists, that Rachel didn't notice at first where pulled into tight balls. "I love you, okay," She looked up into his dark eyes. "Nothing will change that."

Blaine looked back down at her and though she felt his body relax, his eyes still held that dark danger behind them. But he didn't reply. He didn't say "I love you too." He didn't say anything as he pulled away from her and walked from the room. When he was gone, Rachel released a breath she didn't realize she was holding in.

Shaking her head, Rachel crossed the room over to her dresser and pulled out her cell phone. She texted Tyler telling him she was sick and would have to take a rain-check on the coffee and be missing rehearsal. She didn't wait for his reply, before she sank into her bed, staying clear from Blaine's side. His smell already surrounded her and it wasn't in a comforting way.

Rachel had seen the hardness in his eyes. The same rare look that he had worn a months ago before he had hit her. She thought it had disappeared, but she could tell it was resurfacing by the look he gave her and how his body had tensed up. Rachel had calmed him down for now, but she didn't dare risk leaving to go to Tyler. It would be a lot better at the moment, if she just derived herself from making him mad, and once he came to his senses everything would once again, finally, be ok.

**beat**

The next time Rachel scheduled a meeting with Tyler, Blaine reacted the same way. She had already missed rehearsals because Blaine wanted her home. She didn't realize until this time that he was manipulating her with gifts and sweet promises just so she wouldn't leave. However, Rachel was going to stand her ground. She had enough with this, she didn't care if this was the 3rd time they argued about her and another guy.

"I don't want you going!" Blaine yelled, watching her closely with his eyes as she pulled on her boots.

"Blaine this is getting ridiculous! If I miss any more rehearsal's they are kicking me out of the show." Rachel pulled on her jacket. "What am I going to do if I stay in tonight?"

"You can spend time with me." Blaine's voice went from angry to upset in an instant and Rachel sighed looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Blaine, you know I love you, but this is important to me. Not that you aren't," She jumped in before he could. "It's just we've spent so much time together in the past few weeks that we need to get away from each other for a while. You could be working on your new musical piece and I could be on that stage perfecting my performance."

"Rachel, you're already perfect on that stage and we both know it."

"And we both know this argument is absurd," She smiled slightly and kissed him quickly before turning away. "I'll be back for dinner oka-" Rachel stopped abrubtly, feeling Blaine's firm grasp on her wrist. A shot of pain and panic shot up her arm as she realized he was hurting her and he had that look in his eyes again.

"I didn't say you could go," His voice held steady and it has switched again. His words practically dripped with threats.

"You can't tell me what to do and what not to do Blaine," Rachel said, tugging her arm from him, but his grip only tightened. "Let me go,"

"No." This time he pulled her to him, her captured arm the only thing between them.

"I'm going whether you like it or not!" Rachel cried, ripping her wrist from his grip. She launched for the door, knowing where he was going with this and wanted to get out as soon as possible. Blaine stopped her again though, but this time when he grabbed her arm he didn't hold on. Rachel felt herself slam into the door behind her but before she could register to pain from her head, Blaine's fingers clenched around her throat as he stepped into her. Rachel's mouth dropped in shock and that's when she realized she was having trouble breathing. "Blaine," He didn't release so Rachel curled her fingers around his wrist and did her best to pull him away. The tips of his fingers were digging into her neck so much her eyes almost rolled back from the pain. "Blaine," She tried to get through to him one more time, staring deep into his brown eyes, which had grown dangerously dark, pleading for him to let go.

Finally she saw the glint, the tiny glint of realization and he stepped back, letting go.

Rachel couldn't help the gasp that escaped her when her throat opened up once more, demanding for oxygen. Her own hand went up, feeling the inflammation from the pressure he applied there and she looked at him in complete awe. When Blaine looked up to meet her eyes, he opened his mouth prepared to speak, but Rachel didn't stick around long enough to listen. She opened the door and left him to soak in the realization of what he had done.

**beat**

Rachel doesn't know why she went back. She told Blaine, the first time he hit her that she wouldn't stay so why was she outside their apartment door, with the key half-in the lock. But he didn't hit her, just grabbed her a bit too harshly because he was mad. People do things when they're upset, Rachel told herself. She knew of his past, his childhood, and vague details of what growing up for him was like. He's just a hurt person, and people don't always overcome their internal issues. Rachel told herself, it was reasonable for people to snap every now and then.

At musical rehearsal Rachel tried to forget about Blaine, but she couldn't, she felt as if he was still there and though Tyler was playing the Tony opposite of her Maria in _West Side Story, _Rachel couldn't stop imagining Blaine in his place and acting with him like they did back in high school. She needed to see him again, despite the occurrences only hours previous, Rachel still loved him and she needed to know if he still loved her.

Finally, she turned the key inside the lock and swung the door open carefully. She paused to listen, but she heard nothing. Looking down after taking off her own shoes, she realized that Blaine's were missing and she wondered what he was doing out at 11 p.m. Was he looking for her? Did he go out to a bar? Rachel had no idea where he could've been but she wasn't about to bother him with a phone call.

Rachel slipped into their bedroom and began to change. When she climbed into bed, she tried to fall asleep but so many thoughts were running through her head. Despite herself, Rachel reached over and grabbed Blaine's pillow, pulling it to her chest. His scent almost triggered the memory of how he was when he was angry, but Rachel forced them away and finally managed to fall asleep.

**beat**

A shift on the bed is what stirred Rachel out of her sleep. She had dreamt about something, something sad but happy at the same time and it was bugging her that she couldn't grasp at the content. When she opened her eyes, she saw Blaine sitting on the edge of bed, near where she had her knees bent beneath the blankets. For a split second, she smiled up at him, then she remembered the previous night. Her body automatically shot up and she released her grip on Blaine's pillow, which she had woken up clutching.

"I'm sorry," Blaine blurted right away, "I was just watching you sleep. I didn't know you were going to come home last night."

"Neither did I." Rachel's voice was small, "When did you get home?"

"Last night," Blaine's eyes fell from hers to the spot beside her. "I was coming in here to go to bed when I saw you asleep. I wasn't sure if I should have lain beside you so I slept on the couch, I was planning on taking my pillow but you had fallen asleep holding it."

There was question in his voice, so Rachel shrugged and responded, "I like the way you smell."

Blaine chuckled and moved a bit closer to her on the bed, Rachel immediately tensed. She didn't want to but she couldn't help it, and Blaine noticed. "Rachel, listen. Last night was such a mistake, a huge mistake, I was just so angry." He hung his head, slowly shaking it. "I know that's no excuse, but it's the only reasoning I have. You know I love you so much, sometimes it's just difficult. I was hoping that maybe we could forget about it," Blaine rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and looked up at her. He looked so full of regret and guilt; it was hard to say no to him.

"Of course we can forget about it," Rachel said softly, after a long moment. She reached over and laid her hand over his, "Neither of us wants to remember that."

He smiled again and laughed like Rachel was used to; charmingly and happily like he was a little boy again. "You're my angel, and I love you," He kissed her hand gently, in a prince-like manner. "I think I have an idea to help us forget," Blaine didn't wait for Rachel to respond before he leaned over her and kissed her. It was gentle but still filled with that passion that Rachel felt every time they pressed their lips against one another. Blaine's thumb brushed her cheek soothingly, and she noticed how he was avoiding her neck.

Reminding herself, Rachel pulled away when Blaine began to deepen the kiss. "I love you too Blaine, but I don't think I'm up for that right now." She tried to sit up in bed, but Blaine didn't budge.

His mouth traveled down her jaw line and to her neck, softly kissing the bruises she felt there from his fingers. He paid special attention to them, his lips soothing them away, in a form of apology. Rachel sighed and let Blaine kiss her softly. She let him strip her of her clothes and she let her fingers do the same to him. Rachel let him make love to her, and made herself listen to the loving words and promises he whispered in her ears. She let herself forget about what he had done to her, and focused only on what he was doing currently. Loving her, and she let her mind convince her that that was all he would ever do.

**beat**

Two days later, Rachel was standing over the stove cooking up some stir-fry for dinner. She alternated between stirring and responding to text messages, during the time. When she felt Blaine's arms curl around her waist, she smiled and kissed the temple of his head before turning back to the pan in front of her. It was astonishing how easily they had gotten back into the normal routine, once again it seemed like nothing had happened, and Rachel decided that she was okay with that. If they said it didn't happen, then it didn't. Who would be able to challenge that?

When Rachel's phone buzzed with a new text message, she purposely ignored it. "Aren't you going to get that?" Blaine asked into her ear.

"No," She said, trying not to tense in his embrace. "It can wait."

"What if it's something important?" Blaine stepped back from Rachel and reached for her phone.

"Blaine wait!" Rachel dropped the stirring spoon and went to grab her phone, when she saw Blaine's eyes narrow and pull it from her reach. "He was just wondering about some stage directions and some tips," Rachel explained. "Honestly, read the texts yourself, that's all Tyler wanted."

She watched hesitantly as Blaine's eyes scanned the screen, his thumb scrolling through the conversation on her phone. After a few moments, he looked up at her with an odd smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Its fine Rachel, really," He said, setting the phone back down. "He actually reminded me, I bought you something."

Blaine left the room and while he was gone Rachel glanced at her phone. She noticed that Blaine had replied to Tyler saying she had to go. When she looked back, Blaine was entering the kitchen with a nicely sized jewelry box in his hand. When he presented it to her, she looked at him curiously. "What's this for?"

"Just a present," Blaine shrugged. "I went out and bought it the other night when I got in after you. I almost forgot about it, go on. Open it." He sent the velvet box in her hand, and it felt heavy.

Rachel lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a gorgeous, elegant, black bejeweled necklace. It was a black lace pattern, with a beautifully crafted flower in the middle that glittered silver and light blue. "Blaine, this is absolutely gorgeous." She looked up at him, beaming.

He smiled back and took it into his hand. "Turn around, and face the mirror, I'll put it on you."

Rachel nodded and walked over to the side wall of their kitchen, where a mirror hung. She brushed her hair to one shoulder, leaving her neck bare for him to clasp the necklace. She purposely avoided the small, purple bruises that spotted her skin. Though she didn't have to worry about that as soon as Blaine laid the jewelry on her. Rachel hadn't noticed it in the box, but now that she was wearing it, she noticed that this particular necklace didn't have a long chain. In fact it fit her neck snugly, like a choker necklace, and happened to cover her bruise marks perfectly.

Rachel's smile faltered and she looked at Blaine in the mirror. There, it was that odd smile again and now she knew what it meant. The necklace was a warning, not to associate with Tyler again. It was a mask, to hide the abuse she had suffered at his hand no less than a few days ago. And it was a reminder. Though the lace was soft, Rachel couldn't help but feel like it was roughly pressing into her skin, bruising her. Choking her.

**beat**

It was opening night of _West Side Story_ and Rachel couldn't be happier. Blaine wasn't able to make it but had promised to go to every other show, and even though he wasn't there to support her one night, knowing he would go to the other performances they had scheduled was able to get her through the night. The crowd has given them a standing ovation, and the cast and crew were so driven by the adrenaline and success that Rachel didn't think twice about joining them for drinks after, though she was barely 20 years old.

When Rachel stumbled back into her apartment at 2 a.m. that morning, she almost didn't notice Blaine waiting up for her on the couch. Her mind was in a slight haze from the alcohol and she went to kiss him, despite his obvious anger and tension.

That's when he hit her.

It was enough to snap Rachel out of her slightly-drunken mind-set. She grasped her cheek like she had the first time, and looked at him with confusion.

"Where were you?" He demanded. "Blaine what was tha-" Blaine cut her off with another slap and Rachel stumbled back, trying to gain her balance so she didn't fall over. "I said, _where were you?_"

"I was out celebrating with the cast," Rachel explained through her throbbing jaw. "It was opening night Blaine, we were all so excited, if you had been there-"

"What's that supposed to mean!" Blaine suddenly burst, yelling now in her face.

"Nothing, I-"

"'If I had been there,' goddamn it Rachel, I told you I had to work!"

"I know, I know!" Rachel went to touch his arm comfortingly, but he pushed her hand away.

"I've done so much for you Rachel," Blaine yelled, stepping toward her. Rachel backed away but he back collided with a wall. "You don't understand and this is what you do to pay me back?" He grasped both her arms firmly in his fists and held them between them in an awkward angle that Rachel began to tear up from the pain. "The one time I can't do something for you, you go off with Tyler and come home just to throw it in my face?"

"Blaine, that's not what I'm doing!"

"THE HELL YOUR NOT!" Blaine pulled back and slammed Rachel into the wall, before shoving her to the ground. She didn't bother to try and catch herself. Rachel let herself collide on the ground, resting her throbbing head against the cool hardwood. Her back throbbed, her head was spinning, blood ran from a cut on her lip and her arms ached with pain.

When she dared to open her eyes, she saw Blaine standing over her, rubbing his neck but this time it wasn't from nervous. "You don't know what I've been through," He said, glancing at her. She saw no regret in his eyes this time, only disgust. "What I'm still going through, with a slut of a girlfriend like you."

"I'm not-" Rachel tried to argue but Blaine continued to beat her down, this time keeping the abuse verbal.

"You don't think I notice how late you come every night Rachel? I know exactly what time you should be home and it always seems like you're a few minutes late. You know what could happen in a few minutes Rachel? A certain actress and actor sneaking off for a sex-capade before heading home for the night, is that what you've been doing?" Rachel kept her mouth shut. "Answer me!"

Rachel took a deep breath and answered as calmly as she could, "I told you, Tyler is gay, he has no interest-"

"And is every other male cast member gay Rachel?" Blaine challenged. "I've seen the way you dress when you go off to rehearsals, you're practically begging for all that attention."

"Stop, just stop," Rachel shook her head.

"I should've known Rachel, that you hadn't changed since high school. You think I've forgotten about Puckerman, Finn or Jesse? I know how much you bounced back between all of them and I was naïve to think you'd be any different with me."

"You're wrong!" Rachel cried, finally looking at him with teary-angered eyes. "Stop!"

"Am I?" Blaine demanded, leaning down to hit Rachel once more before pulling her up from the ground, holding her bicep firmly. "Why am I wrong?"

"Because I love you!" Rachel said desperately, the tears finally rolling down her face. Despite everything she was suffering at his hand, she couldn't deny that she still loved him. That she still loved the Blaine he used to be, the Blaine that he was most of the time.

She had been hoping that'd be enough to break him from this attitude but it seemed to only make him angrier. "You're lying," Blaine pushed Rachel away from him, and this time she fell on the couch. "If you loved me you wouldn't go around kissing other men and drinking with them like a whore!"

"Don't call me that!" Rachel stood from the couch, hoping it would give her some type of strength. Instead, Blaine shoved her back down, crawling on top of her. "I'll call you whatever I want." He growled. "Angel, babe, though I don't think those suit you very much anymore. I think I'll stick with whore. Or would you prefer harlot, I know how you like to be old-fashion sometimes."

"Stop," Rachel cried, pushing at him weakly. "Get off of me."

"If you love me, prove it," He ordered, sliding his hand up her thigh, but it didn't excite Rachel like it used to. It scared her and she pushed at him, to stop him but Blaine only shoved her further into the couch. "If you love me, then you're mine, and if you're mine I can do whatever I want."

Rachel was too weak to fight Blaine, especially when she had injuries and he had an advantage position, using his body weight to keep her pinned. She pleaded with him to stop, that she didn't want him, not like this. Not when it wasn't pleasurable for her. Blaine was making it all about him, gripping her hips so tightly and slamming into them so harshly she thought she might actually break because it _hurt._

When he was done, Blaine didn't bother cleaning her off or doing anything for her. He leaned down and said, "When you feel that in the morning, remember who you belong to." Then he walked out, slamming their bedroom door, locking her out. Blaine left her a mess on the couch, covered in scars, bruises and pain. Her makeup streaked from crying and her skirt was a wrinkled mess from Blaine's forcing himself on her just a few minutes before. She wanted to run, to run out that door that was not more than ten feet away and just never look back, but Rachel was too ashamed. So she let herself fall into the mess she had created around herself, welcoming sleep as a peaceful gift.

**beat**

The next morning, Rachel woke up before Blaine. She slipped into the bathroom, and locked herself inside before finally turning toward the mirror. The events of the night before came rushing back to her as she examined her injuries. Swollen cheeks from being repeatedly hit, throbbing head from being slammed into the wall, dried blood from her cuts, bruises around her wrists and biceps from being manhandled, and an ache down below where Blaine had taken advantage of her.

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror, he pathetic, naïve self and she wondered how she could've led herself to this. How she could've put herself in a position that she would end up like this, looking at a battered version of herself in a mirror. Like she wasn't even alive.

Then Rachel's fingers went to her skirt, unzipping it in the back and letting it drop. She shed her top as well and looked back at herself. Rachel was completely bare apart from her undergarments. Everything looked okay beneath her clothes until she turned slightly to her left and noticed something. Five branded fingers on her side, and she recalled how tightly Blaine had held her down before.

That's when Rachel couldn't stand it anymore. She turned and let the shower run, before stepping in, not caring that she was still wearing her bra and panties. Rachel curled herself up in the bathtub, letting the chilly water shower down on her. It ran down her back and neck, soothing away her pain temporarily. She refused to cry, Rachel told herself, but it didn't matter. Only she knew if the water on her face came from her eyes of the showerhead. Either way, she let the droplets run as she hugged her knee's to herself. Rachel didn't know how long she stayed in there before she heard Blaine knocking on the door. At first they were tentative knocks, then they became concerned, and finally turned into anger. Not that it mattered, Rachel ignored him. She was going to stay in that shower, beneath the water, until either it stopped falling or Blaine beat down the door.

Rachel prayed she didn't move until she shriveled up enough to not feel anything, anymore.


End file.
